Latest Best of LA

Best Adventure Experience Gifts In L.A.

As the late Pulitzer Prize recipient Art Buchwald said, “The best things in life aren’t things.” If you know someone who could use a little injection of adrenaline to jump start their lives, here are a few ideas that will certainly do the trick.

You might remember it from an episode on HBO’s Sex And The City when Carrie Bradshaw went flying on the trapeze. She made it look so cool, empowering many to try it out. Well, now it’s your turn to take advantage of this adventurous activity. What’s even greater is the location is on the famed Santa Monica Pier giving you terrific views of the pier, as well as the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Trapeze School NSNY offers classes including this one where you’ll use only the most up-to-date equipment in a focused class environment. They encourage you to “forget about fear, worry about the addiction,” offering flying trapeze (along with a variety of other aerial-based classes) seven days a week. They are open to first-timers ages 6 and up with an impeccable focus on safety and expert instruction.

Have you ever imagined yourself moving through an urban jungle in a way that defied common physics and made you look incredibly cool in the process? Well, say hello to the Tempest Academy where you’ll learn everything from freerunning and Parkour. These exercises involve acrobatics and other tricks as part of the journey and it focuses on the most efficient way to get from one point to the next. Located in the world’s only indoor parkour playground (designed by X-Games course designer, Nate Wessel), Tempest Acadamy is the originator and sole facility dedicated to the growth of freerunning and parkour. Specialized equipment within a real-world city environment can be found here, such as a 14-foot warped wall and aussie bed trampoline. This is a place where people can renegotiate what they think is possible in movement, filled with those who believe that if you can overcome environmental obstacles, then you can learn how to overcome them in other aspects of life as well. Professional instruction is provided by coaches with experience in film, live performance and worldwide competitions.

Individual sessions and monthly memberships are available, providing access to a variety of classes to suit all levels for those 6 years old and up. Or, plan a birthday party here and traverse the indoor city with a group of daring friends.

They might not show you how to curve a bullet like Angelina Jolie in the movie “Wanted,” but what The Firing Line in Burbank does offer a safe indoor firing range where you can learn about proper firearm safety and try to hit the target too. Firing Line is a state-of-the-art indoor shooting range equipped with fully-automated target shooting positions, steel-lined safety booths and 50-foot ranges. Don’t own a gun? Not to worry. They’ve got a selection of handgun calibers ranging from .44 Magnums to rifles for rent and plenty of ammunition for sale. It may take a moment to get used to the constant sound of guns firing, but with adrenaline rushes fueled, it’s the perfect opportunity to pull the trigger.

Single daily sessions and annual memberships are available. They also offer basic firearm training on Saturday mornings.

Spread across 40 acres, the Warped Paintball Park in Castaic offers both veterans and beginners a chance to get geared up and play a fun game of paintball with your team. With 6 scenario fields, and 2 tournament grade arena fields, it is by far one of the best in the area too. Go paint-balling in a mock Iraq town, a jungle field, a castle, a graveyard and other areas. It’s a great place for a birthday party, or to just be your adventurous self!

Feel the need for unabashed speed? Make it a reality at the Irwindale Speedway. Here, race junkies can go behind the wheel of a stock car where they can “shake and bake” like Ricky Bobby in “Talladega Nights.” Staffed by a national champion crew chief and racing coordinator, this race training school is equipped with the staff and racing machines that are sure to provide an exciting day at the track. Conveniently located off the 605 and 210 freeways, minutes from Downtown LA, the staff here is qualified and has years or professional racing experience. They operate year-round with flexibility in scheduling, so if you’re in the mood for some training or just some good ol fun and adventure, this is great place to go!

Led by experienced FAA flight instructors, this is your chance to fly. Literally. Encore Flight Academy invites you into the world of aviation, so if you want to get your license for fun, this is the best place to go to get it. With advanced simulators available and a comprehensive fleet, it specializes in an experience that is second to none.

Joy Bitonio has the phrase “Joie de Vivre” tattooed on her shoulder, a reminder to enjoy life every single day. She has a voracious appetite for fun, adventure, food, good cocktails and works out like a madwoman to keep it all together. Her fitness articles can be found on examiner.com. Follow her on Twitter.